Moravian Lives

1. Encouraged by thy word,
Of promise to the poor,
Behold a beggar, Lord,
Waits at thy mercy door,
No hand or heart, dear Lord, but thine,
Can help or pity wants like mine.

2. The beggar's usual pleas,
Relief from man to gain,
It offor'd  offer'd unto thee,
I know thou would'st disdain.
But those which reach thy gracious ear
Are such as man would scorn to hear.

3. I have no right to say
That tho' I now am poor,
Yet once there was a day
When I possessed more
Thou know'st I from my very birth
Have been the poorest wretch on earth.

4. Nor can I dare profess
As beggars often do
Tho' great is my distress,
My faults have been but few
If thou should'st leave my soul to starve
It would be what I well deserve.